Nine Months
by nubiem
Summary: Rose Weasley: Hogwarts valedictorian, Quidditch captain, Head Girl, daughter of heroes Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. But after a night with the Slytherin Prince, everything she had planned goes awry, and Rose is left scrambling to put the pieces of her life back together. Epilogue compliant, Rose/Scorpius.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing within this story and am not profiting from it in any way. Everything is the property of JK Rowling.**

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**A/N: Hello! I've had this story in the works for a while and I'm just glad that I have time to actually focus properly on it now. The chapters will probably be a lot shorter than those in my other story but we'll see how long I can keep that up for.**

** I hope you all enjoy it and please review to let me know what you think!**

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_**July 23**__**rd**__**, 2024**_

_**Weasley House, West Surrey**_

_**4:30PM**_

"Shit."

The profanity was a quiet squeak from Rose's lips, accompanied by a quiet clatter as the Muggle pregnancy test hit the floor. Two small pink lines were etched into the stick, proof that she had made the biggest mistake of her life to date. The past couple of days had been full of spells and charms to detect pregnancy, all coming up positive, and now her last chance to prove the magic wrong had betrayed her.

"Al?" she called out through a strangled throat when her heart rate had calmed. "Albus?"

The lock to the bathroom unclicked and she detected the pulse of magic before her cousin walked in, frowning. He had grown his hair out, the front of it falling into his eyes. But behind the fringe Rose was certain the green orbs would be full of concern. "Positive?" he asked, settling himself on the floor beside her with legs crossed.

Rose's voice had dropped to her stomach. All she could do was nod and try and swallow the tears which were threatening to approach. She could imagine the crestfallen disappointment on her mother's face when she broke the news, how her father would pale and his hands would shake. She leaned into Albus when he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. His hand was rubbing soothing circles on her upper arm.

"What are you going to do, Rosie?" he asked. "You have to tell him. Something like this can't stay hidden for long and he deserves to know."

"I can't tell him," she said and her voice was a whisper. "I can't _keep_ it. I'm going to France in a month for university. I can't be...I can't have it." But even as she said it, the thought seemed a bit much to handle. There was a _life_ growing inside of her, small and fragile and part of her. She had never been the maternal type, vowing not to have children until she was at a sensible stage in her life like her mother, but Rose was certain that Hermione Granger, advocate for elf rights and publicised attorney, would never have gotten pregnant at seventeen.

"What about your parents?" Al suggested. "You should at least tell your mum. Aunt Hermione has always had good advice. It saved dad's arse once or twice from the stories he tells. She'll be able to help you out, but I still think you have to tell him."

"I'm not telling him, Albus," Rose snapped, folding her arms across her chest and shying from his touch. "Not yet, at least. I need to sort everything out first. Figure out what I'm going to do. Then I'll tell him."

"Promise?" Albus asked, holding his pinky finger out to her, the way he used to when they were children.

She grinned at him despite the heaviness which had found a home behind her ribs, and linked her own finger with his. "Pinky promise."

"Good," Albus said. He stood and held his hands out to help her up, pulling her gently to her feet in a smooth motion. "I've got to get home before mum finds out I let Lil have the house to herself a few hours. She'll freak if she gets home and Marcus is there."

"Maybe Lily and I can be birthing buddies," Rose joked, forcing a smile. Her cousin backed her up with a grin and kissed her forehead in farewell. She watched him from the high bathroom window as he exited onto the street and past their wards, vanishing with a crack.

When the tail of his cloak had vanished, she allowed herself to stumble back into the wall and release the hysterical sob that had begun to grow in her gut. The choke bubbled over her lips and cracked against the tiled floor. She was thankful that the house was empty as her normally collected exterior shattered, weeping until she felt she would be sick.

Her (not quite) empty belly growled, a reminder she had thrown up her breakfast in a particularly violent bout of what she was now certain was morning sickness. Almost robotically, Rose hid the pregnancy test at the bottom of the bin and wiped away the traces of emotion that had marked her face. She went down the stairs slowly, hand clasped carefully around the railing, terrified of falling.

Though she had been almost positive two days ago when she had realised her period was very late and the first pregnancy detection charm had been cast in the privacy of her bedroom, the two pink lines were the only thing that hit home.

She was _pregnant_.

Rose Weasley, Head Girl, valedictorian, Quidditch Captain, daughter of two of the most famous wizards in Britain, was up the duff at seventeen and there was only one wizard who could be the father. As she put two slices of bread into the muggle toaster her mother insisted they keep around, dread clogged her throat.

They had shared one night together after seven years of longing from afar from both sides, each party too nervous to approach and initiate any kind of romantic relationship. They had battled their entire school lives to come out on top the better student, Rose barely beating him out for the number one position. And though he had admitted to wanting her since their first encounter at eleven years old on the Hogwarts Express, he was still a complete arse.

The slam of the front door made Rose jump as she finished buttering her toast, her mother's light footfalls setting her at ease. Hugo was away at a Quidditch camp for the summer and she was certain that if he were around, he'd be sticking his nose in everything. Seating herself at the breakfast bar, Rose began to nibble on her afternoon snack, the anxiety eating at her insides.

"Hi, sweetheart," Hermione said, kissing her on the forehead.

"Hi, mum," she replied. "How was your day?"

"Frantic," the brunette said, placing her handbag on the kitchen counter. "Parties from every side have really upped their game. The election is going to be riotous. You're lucky you'll be out of the country by then."

Rose nodded, too worried that the toast she just ate would find its way back up if she opened her mouth.

"Are you okay, darling?" Hermione asked, clearing her daughter's plate away. "You look pale."

Again, she nodded. "I'm fine. What's for dinner?"

"Your grandmother invited us all over so I imagine it'll be a solid feast," Hermione said, flicking through the mail. "I think there's an announcement of sorts coming from one of your cousins. Harry was talking about Teddy getting anxious, lately. Perhaps he and Victoire have something to tell us all."

"Oh." Rose felt a recognisable wave of nausea begin to overcome her, the clammy feeling on her skin that had become overwhelmingly familiar to her. "I…uh…I'll be upstairs."

She didn't hear her mother's reply as she scarpered up the stairs, making it to the bathroom and locking the door behind her just in time. She bent over the toilet and heaved her stomach's contents into the bowl, leaning against the wall when she was done and breathing heavily. It took a few moments before she was brave enough to hoist herself to her feet with the aid of the countertop, stripping off and climbing into the shower with the water turned cold to wash the sweat away.

When she finished, wrapped in a fluffy towel with her hair dripping down her back, she collected her clothes and headed to her bedroom. There, she sat down at her desk, quill in hand with the tip hovering above a fresh piece of paper, and penned a short note.

_We need to talk. Soon. _

_Rose._

She considered something more elaborate, tip of the quill hovering just an inch above the paper, but decided to leave it simple. What else could she say? That their one night stand after seven years of lustful intentions had led to her being pregnant? That, she being a virgin before they had spent one torrid evening in the Room of Requirement, he was the only candidate for the father? No, there was no way she could mention that in a letter. It was absurd! She had to tell him to his face.

Still wrapped in her towel, Rose attached the letter to the leg of her owl, Nocturne, and watched the bird fly towards the horizon.

Dressing simply, Rose could hear her father downstairs, discussing his day with her mother. Just like Hermione, Ronald Weasley was employed in the Ministry of Magic and was thus under high amounts of pressure with the upcoming election for Minster for Magic. There had been much scrutiny of the position, with her uncle Harry suggested by many, and when he had bowed out, the fighting for the spot had become even more intense. She had been following the election coverage in The Daily Prophet for weeks and was almost sad she was going to be out of the country when the polls were counted.

Well, if she was still allowed into university in her condition.

"Rosie," Ron beamed when she entered the kitchen. He was pouring out glasses of wine for himself and Hermione, tilting the bottle towards Rose as an offer.

She shook her head, feeling a different kind of nausea overcome her. There had been a moment when she was dressing where she had been overcome by courage, determined to tell her parents, and she knew that she would never find that much courage again if she didn't tell them now.

"Guys, I have something to tell you," she said, resting her hands on her stomach. "Maybe…uh…I think you should be sitting down first."

"Rose, what's the matter?" Hermione asked. Creases had formed around her eyes but she obliged, taking a seat at the dining table. Ron looked as confused as ever when he took his seat. "Rosie?"

Rose inhaled and sat at the head of the table. Her cheeks burned and she looked down as a tear escaped. "You guys are going to be so disappointed in me. _I'm _so disappointed in me. But I want you to know that I never meant for this to happen. You know that. You know that I want university and a good job and that my education comes before everything, right?"

"Of course, Rosie-Posie," Ron said, holding his daughter's hand. Despite his levelled voice, his face had lost a few shades of colour. "Now, what is it?"

With another deep breath, she summoned the courage. "I'm pregnant."

Ron's face changed from white to red to purple and then back to white again, tinged green. "What? How? _Who_?"

"Dad-," Rose said.

"Who, Rose?" Hermione asked.

"Mum-,"

"_Who_?" Ron repeated.

"Scorpius Malfoy."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the kind responses! Please keep up with the reviews! I actually have the first five chapters of this story completed, so these initial updates will be coming out quite frequently.**

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_**August 10**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**St Mungo's Hospital**_

_**12:15PM**_

Rose sat in a waiting room at St Mungo's, her mother at her side flipping through some documents for work. Her hands sat in her lap, twiddling her fingers as they waited for the Healer to emerge from the office to call her in. Since telling her parents, she had been subjected to multiple Muggle doctors at their insistence, and now, when all of those tests had come back positive, she was being forced through the same humiliation at the hands of the Healers. Her parents were determined to find at least one negative test amongst them all, but there had been no point so far.

"Miss Weasley?" a Healer called, looking out into the room. Catching sight of her bright hair and the famous Hermione Weasley at her side, the Healer smiled at Rose in beckoning. "If you'll just follow me."

Rose nodded, standing slowly. She had been suffering from particularly bad morning sickness that she was hoping the Healer would have a solution to, once he announced that she had indeed screwed her chances at further education and a successful career thanks to a careless night with the Slytherin Prince. The Healer closed the door as Rose and Hermione sat down. "Now, I feel as though this news may come as quite a shock to you both, what with you being so young, Miss Weasley," the Healer said, scratching at his temple. "Your tests have come back positive, indicating that you are approximately eight weeks pregnant at this stage."

Rose shut her eyes. This was it. This was the end of any chances she ever had at a good career. She had just thrown away a scholarship to the finest wizarding university in Europe and any subsequent chance at a solid job for a shag from Scorpius Malfoy. And now, as well as being undereducated and unemployed, she was due to spend the next eighteen years of her life raising _his_ child. She had given it much consideration after the eighth pregnancy test and realised she didn't have the heart to terminate the pregnancy, nor to give the child away after its birth.

"Miss Weasley? Are you alright?" the Healer asked.

"Fine," Rose said, opening her eyes. Her mother was being uncharacteristically quiet at her side. "Just fine. I've had particularly bad morning sickness. Is there anything you can give me to stop that?" She decided that if her mother wasn't going to be the grown up in the situation, she would have to adapt.

"Of course," he said, standing and opening a cabinet behind his desk. From there, he withdrew a small box which clinked, clearly full of vials. "The contents of one of these vials will last you a week. I'll give you four vials to start with, and should it continue to be violent, you can always come back for more. Take one vial before you eat your next meal and that should keep your stomach settled and the baby happy."

_Baby_. Rose shuddered. "Thank you," she said.

"From your reaction, I assume you already knew about the pregnancy?" he queried. "Most young women your age who find out they're pregnant in my office have a distinctly more dramatic reaction."

Rose snorted. "I've known for a couple of weeks."

"And you're going to go ahead with it?"

She placed a hand on her stomach. "Yes," she said. "Yes, I think I am."

Hermione's voice adopted a clinical, focused tone when she spoke. "Now, is there any particularly prudent information we should apply to this pregnancy? When I was pregnant with Rose, she being my first child, the Healer insisted that we visit at least once a month, twice a month the closer it got to my due date. In the last month I was there once a week."

The Healer behind the desk smiled. "Of course, Mrs Weasley. I'll refer you to a specialist in the field. I'm more accustomed to basics, running tests and then assigning cases to others and so on." He paused to write a name down on a piece of parchment. "You can always choose to go the Muggle route, of course. But otherwise, contact Healer Jeffries and arrange an appointment with her, and then she will let you know about visiting times and so on. Is there anything else I can do for you today?"

Rose shook her head. "No. I'll be fine."

He smiled again. "I'm sure you will be. Take care Miss Weasley, Mrs Weasley."

When they made it out of the hospital and back onto the streets of Muggle London, vials tapping together in Rose's bag, Hermione spoke again.

"We need to go have lunch somewhere and talk over how this is going to work. I won't have you throwing your whole future away at seventeen, Rosie," she said. "I understand that you want to have this baby and I won't stop you, but you're so young and you have so much potential."

"Mum, I can't go to school when I'm pregnant, let alone move to France for it."

Hermione sighed. They rounded a corner and reached a street loaded with cafes, choosing one at random and taking a seat in the sun. "I know, darling," the elder witch said. She paused to order salads for both of them from a passing waiter. "Take one of those vials now. I suppose you could contact the Academy and see if you could complete at least part of your degree via correspondence. And when the time is right, your father and I could help set you up in France so you could continue it with actual contact with the school."

Rose swallowed the potion but continued to feel nauseous for a completely different reason. Discussing it on a busy Muggle street was making her realize just how ruined she really was. There was no real way in which she could carry on with her plans to study in France and then return to get a position in the Ministry of Magic. She couldn't have a _baby_ and raise it by herself in a foreign country. The idea was absurd!

"Rosie?" Hermione asked as Rose began to cry. "Darling, what's wrong?"

"It's all gone," Rose said, trying to contain herself as people turned to look at her. "Everything. I worked so hard and now I've fucked it all up." She didn't notice her mother wince at the swear word. "I was so stupid. And now I'm going to have a baby and Scorpius isn't going to care and I'm never going to go to university or get a job in the Ministry and I'm going to end up a pathetic, jobless witch."

"Rosie," Hermione said, voice soft. "It's going to be okay. I promise. It'll be hard, but you're going to get there, sweetheart. Your father and I will make sure of it."

"But everyone is going to _know_. And it's going to be awful," Rose sniffed, having controlled the tears. "And dad is so mad."

Hermione sighed. Ron _was_ furious, though no one was certain as to whom his anger was directed. He hadn't spoken to Rose since she had announced the baby's father, keeping the household on eggshells. "I'll work on your father," Hermione assured her. "We'll get through this. I promise." The waiter brought their meals, a welcome distraction. "Since we missed the dinner last week, Victoire wrote to tell me that Teddy proposed to her. Isn't that wonderful?"

Grateful for the change of subject, Rose nodded. "It's great. He took his time in proposing, though."

Hermione smiled. "I suppose he did. It's great that they got there, though. Molly is absolutely thrilled, of course. No doubt already planning the wedding."

Rose agreed. "I might go and see Victoire after this, if that's alright. I haven't seen her since I graduated and I feel like she might be a good person to talk to."

"Of course, darling," Hermione said. "Will you be home for dinner?"

Rose's stomach clenched. "I'm actually seeing Scorpius for dinner," she said quickly. "I haven't told him yet and now that we have confirmation from Mungo's I think it's probably time he knew. You know, before it gets back to him in any other way."

Hermione's mouth was thin for a moment before she responded. "As long as you're sure," she said.

"He's the father, mum. He needs to know."

The elder witch sighed. "I know. Your father won't be happy."

"I doubt dad's going to be happy with me for a very long time."

"I suppose you're right," Hermione said. "I'll go and settle the bill."

Rose nodded, finishing her salad. She leant back in her chair and placed a hand on her still flat stomach, curious about the life inside of her. It seemed a complete impossibility that there could actually be a human being growing in there at that very moment, that in a couple of months her stomach would grow, and that a few months after that, there'd be a _baby_ in her arms. The thought sent a shiver down her spine despite the warm July sun on her back.

"Ready to go?" Hermione asked, returning to the table with her purse in hand. Rose stood, grabbing her bag and hooking it over her shoulder. They walked in silence to an empty alleyway. "I'll see you later tonight, sweetheart. Don't worry too much, and be safe when you apparate." Hermione kissed her on the forehead and disappeared with a crack.

Rose followed suit, though she appeared on the shore near Shell Cottage rather than in West Surrey. Her Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur had moved from the house when their second child had been born, keeping it until Victoire was old enough to move out of their new family home and into the old cottage. It still maintained a sort of tragic beauty, weathered by the sea and the wind, but with a beautiful garden Victoire maintained to keep the house from feeling too lonely.

At the sound of Rose's arrival, Victoire poked her head out of the front door. "Rose," she called, stepping out onto the sand, barefoot. The witch was tall and blonde and so pretty that it made Rose envious every time she looked at her cousin, despite everyone's reassurances that she was just as good looking. "What a surprise. We didn't see you as dinner the other week."

Rose embraced her cousin. "No, we couldn't make it. Last minute change of plans," she said. Really, that night had been spent with her father pacing the kitchen, muttering about scrawny blonde ferrets whilst his face was an alarming shade of puce, and her mother looking through every book they owned to figure out a remedy to the situation. "Can I see the ring?"

Victoire beamed, holding her left hand out. There, on her fourth finger, rested a modest but still dazzling diamond ring.

"I'm so happy for you, Vic," Rose said, hugging her cousin again. "I actually have some news of my own."

"Oh?" Victoire said. "Come inside and I'll make a pot of tea for us. You've intrigued me."

They settled themselves in the front room, looking out onto the torrid waves. Rose crossed her legs beneath her as she sat on the sofa, thanking her cousin when she passed a cup of tea her way. Outside, the sea tossed and turned, a few raindrops beginning to fall and darken the sand. Rose sipped from her cup as Victoire continued in the kitchen, fetching snacks for them. When the blonde returned, she sat on the couch opposite, feet up, spread out.

"So, what's this news?"

Rose ran a fingertip around the edge of her cup. "Well, you know how I've always had a bit of a thing for Scorpius Malfoy and he's always had a bit of a thing for me?" she asked. Her cousin nodded. "After graduation, we bumped into each other in the hallway and I guess we both sort of realised that if we were ever going to do anything, that would be the time. So we spent the night in the Room of Requirement."

"You _what_?" Victoire said. "And you left it this long to tell me! You know that you're the only girl he's ever wanted more than one night with, right? And that he's been pining after you since he was eleven? And that he's no doubt one of the most sought after young wizards at the moment?"

"There's more Vic," Rose said, interrupting her cousin before she could elaborate any further. "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Victoire asked. "Are you sure?"

"I've had ten pregnancy tests, of both kinds, and they've all come back positive. I just got confirmation from St Mungo's today."

"Oh, Rose," Victoire said, placing her cup on the coffee table and joining Rose on her couch. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm keeping the baby. I haven't even told Scor yet, though. He's going to hate me."

"That boy could never hate you, Rosie. Have you contacted the university yet?"

Rose shook her head. "Mum suggested I do at least part of my course through correspondence and then when I'm ready and in a stable enough position, I move to France for the rest of the degree."

"That's a sensible idea," Victoire said. "You can stay with your parents for as long as you need and even though I'm sure it's not going to be the university experience you had hoped for, you'll at least get a degree at the end of it."

"But I'm not ready for this baby, Vic," Rose said, cheeks red as tears began to settle in her eyes. "I'm only seventeen. I haven't done half the things a seventeen year old should do. Hell, before that night with Scorpius, I'd never even had sex. And now that I have, I've got a _baby_ coming."

"The Weasley family have always been a fertile bunch," Victoire said, earning a smile from her cousin. "Come on. It's going to be tough, Rosie, but you've got a ridiculous large and loving family to help you out. And Scorpius…well, he's a prat, but that boy has some serious feelings for you. I'm sure if you asked for some help, he would be more than willing to oblige."

Rose nodded. "I just don't want to ruin his chances, too."

"Nobody is going to have ruined chances. You're going to complete your course by correspondence and move to France if you feel that's what's right for you, and then you're going to get a great job and do it all. It'll be harder with the baby, but like I said, you have all of us to help you out. And if Scorpius doesn't want to be involved, then you're going to have to accept that, but it's his loss."

Rose nodded a few times and sipped at her tea. "You're right. Of course you're right. Everyone seems to know what's best in this situation apart from me."

Victoire laughed. "You'll learn. Trust me. Do you remember when I left Hogwarts with grand plans of starting up my own label straight off the bat? And then everyone told me that it was a ridiculous idea because I had absolutely no experience whatsoever? Well, they were right. But now, after listening to everyone else, I'm finally at the place in my life where I can do what I want and know I've prepared myself appropriately. It gets annoying, but you're going to need to learn to listen, Rose, now more than ever."

"I know," Rose said. She placed a hand on her stomach. "I'm seeing Scorpius tonight. I haven't told him yet. He's going to lose it."

"Come on," Victoire said, wrapping an arm around her cousin. "It's going to work out. I promise."

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**A/N: Please REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Another chapter for you all! Please let me know what you think in a review!**

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_**August 10**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**The Leaky Cauldron**_

_**7:00PM**_

Rose sat in one of the more private booths of the loud pub, listening to a table of old wizards talk about their glory days. She sipped slowly at a glass of iced tea as they recalled Quidditch triumphs from their schooldays, waiting for Scorpius to arrive. As one of the wizards embarked on an embellished tale about catching the snitch just millimeters from the ground, the door to the tavern opened. She looked up and saw her Slytherin companion walk in, scanning the crowd for her.

It still infuriated her to admit just how attracted she was to him, and that it was more than simple physical attraction. Throughout their seven years at school together, they had sparred both academically and on the Quidditch pitch, both Chasers and then captains for their respective house teams. Off the pitch, they had engaged in a tumultuous friendship, much to their parents' chagrin, each harbouring romantic feelings for the other but neither willing to pursue them. They had each dated separately throughout their time at Hogwarts, both admitting after their tryst that it frustrated them when the other had paraded their romance about the school.

Now, coming towards her with a grin on his face and a pink in his cheeks that told her he had only recently finished a Quidditch match, she was again reminded of the strength of her feelings. He offered her his lazy smile as he slid into the seat across from her.

"Hello, princess," he said, leaning across the table and pushing a lock of curly hair from her face. "Long time no see."

She wanted to lean into his hand, disregard the surrounding patrons, melt under his touch. "Hi," she said instead. "You're right, it has been a while. How are you?"

He paused, staring at her for a few moments. "Better for having seeing you," he decided on, reaching and taking her hands in his. "Look, I'm just going to come out and ask. Did I do something wrong that night? Because you left the morning after and didn't speak to me again until your pathetic excuse for a letter two weeks ago."

"No," she said, but she pulled her own hands from his grasp and rested them in her lap. "But I didn't have expectations that anything would come of that night. I didn't think you would want that and I figured it would be healthier for us both if we just left it there."

He frowned. "For the first time in your life, princesa, you figured wrong."

"I'm getting that feeling," she said. "Do you want me to go and order?"

"I'll get it," he offered. "Pea soup?"

"Please."

As he went and ordered, Rose swallowed the lump in her throat. She inhaled, exhaled, sipped at her drink. Scorpius was better known for his snarky attitude and quick retorts than his sweet side, but during their night together, he had revealed a much softer personality, sweeter and gentler than she thought he'd ever have. Now, she was reminded again of that fact as he returned to their table with another iced tea for her and a beer for himself.

They spent the whole meal discussing their breaks, Rose reminded again and again exactly why she fell for him in the first place. When he laughed, she watched how his eyes creased at the corners and he would toss his head back if she told a particularly funny anecdote. When she spoke, he would lean across the table and there was no doubt in her mind that he was focused wholly on her, the way her lips moved and every facet of her life. And when he spoke passionately, about his upcoming internship at the Ministry or an exceptional Quidditch match, she could see stars in his eyes.

By the time it was nine o'clock, Rose still hadn't broken the news and was freshly enamored with Scorpius.

"Do you want to go and get some dessert?" he suggested, holding her hand when they had both exited the booth. They walked through to Diagon Alley, where the sticky summer evening clung to their skin. People were still aplenty, going from cafes to smaller boutiques which stayed open until late, but the place with the most business was the ice cream parlour.

Rose had always loved it, with its pastel décor and perpetually sunny atmosphere, even in the winter months when its flavours were traded for ones that complemented hot fudge. She found a table on the street whilst he ventured inside. She had wanted to tell him throughout dinner, but there had been no perfect moment. They had been too wrapped up in catching up for her to have the heart to shatter it all with her news. And then, as the bar had dwindled in customers, she hadn't wanted to tell him in case his reaction was an unsavoury one. She felt much safer in a place like the ice cream parlour, where there were plenty of witnesses.

Scorpius returned with two ice cream cones, handing her the caramel one and keeping vanilla to himself. "So, why did you wait for two months before writing to me with a less than friendly note?" he asked after he was sitting.

Rose swallowed heavily. "I got some news. Something you need to know."

He raised his eyebrows. "You haven't told me anything especially groundbreaking thus far so I'm assuming you haven't let it slip yet. What's up?"

"Scor, I'm pregnant."

He stared at her, grey eyes wide, ice cream melting down the cone and sticking to his fingers. "What?" he asked, but she couldn't say it again. "Pregnant?"

She nodded. "Two months. I went to Mungo's today to confirm."

"_Two months_? And it's mine? You're sure?"

"You're the only one it could be."

"Shit. My dad is going to kill me. Are you sure?"

"I've done about ten pregnancy tests and they've all come back positive, so yes, I'm sure."

"Fuck."

"I don't have any expectations of you," Rose said. "It was a one time thing. I just thought you should know."

"You're keeping it?"

Again, she nodded. "I thought about the other options but I can't. You know that I want something with you, but I don't want to force you into anything."

"And this is a pretty big thing to force anyone into," he added. Realising the state of his ice cream as it dripped down his hand, he pulled out his wand and vanished its melted remnants, wiping his hand on a napkin. "Rose, I like you. I like you a lot."

She could taste the 'but' in the silence between them. He liked her a lot _but_ he was eighteen and had a career and a life to look forward to that didn't include her and their illegitimate child. "It's fine," she said as her heart cracked. "Really. It's fine."

"I'm eighteen. I'm starting an internship in less than a month. I'm sorry."

"I should go," Rose said, tossing her untouched ice cream into a nearby bin. "It's fine. I'll see you around."

She took out her wand and disapparated, landing outside her house. She could see the outline of her parents' silhouettes in the front room and pulled her feet behind her as she entered the house, stringing up her bag on a hook near the door. Her mother called out to her

She waited until she was in her room, having greeted her parents and excused herself out of exhaustion, to crumble, curling up on her bed with her face in her pillow and letting the true weight of her circumstances sink in. She wept until there were no tears left in her system and her body was just shuddering into the mattress, finally pulling a blanket over herself and falling asleep fully clothed, dreaming of grey eyes and vanilla ice cream.

* * *

Rose was surprised to wake up to her father knocking at the door. She mumbled something, blanket pulled over her head, and heard the hinges squeak and the floorboards groan as he came over.

"I brought you a cup of tea, petal," Ron said, resting a cup on the bedside table and taking a seat at her feet. "Are you…okay?"

Beneath the covers, she couldn't help but smile at her dad's communication difficulties. But all too quickly, she remembered her conversation with Scorpius the night before. "No," she said, pulling the doona down. "I'm not okay, daddy."

"He didn't take it so well, huh?"

Rose sat up, propped her pillows up, and took the cup of tea in her hands. "I don't know what I expected but I guess it was never going to be a good reaction."

"Rosie, are you sure you want to do this?" Ron asked. "You don't _have_ to go through with it. No one would know."

"Dad," Rose said. "I don't know what it is and I always thought that if I were to come to this situation then I'd have a totally different approach, but I want to keep this baby."

Her father sighed heavily. "I know I can't change your mind, but me being angry isn't going to help you out at all. Particularly not now that Malfoy has acted like a right prat."

Rose slipped down in her bed, curling onto her side. "I really like him, dad. I really, _really_ like him."

"He's not worth it," Ron said. "Not if he's doing this to you. Any half-decent boy worth your time would be here instead of me. And besides, he's a _Malfoy_. There's never been a good one of them in the whole bunch."

She nodded, not truly agreeing. She had spent the past seven years in a bizarre relationship with Scorpius, learning so much about him during their friendship and then even more in their one night together. To her, he was spectacular. "I'm tired, dad. I think I'm just going to go back to sleep."

Ron frowned, but leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Let us know if you need anything," he said. "Don't let a Malfoy make you feel this way. They're not worth it."

* * *

She woke again close to five o'clock, her stomach rumbling. Reminding herself that she was eating for two, she pushed away her blanket, hopped into a long, hot shower, and changed into some more comfortable clothes. She could hear her mother making dinner in the kitchen, her father having a conversation with a familiar voice.

"Al?" Rose said, coming down the stairs, arms across her chest. Her cousin and closest confidante looked up, smiling thinly. "What are you doing here?"

"I hadn't heard from you in a few days. It's not like you to be so quiet and I figured I should check in on you with all that's happening." He stood from the armchair and embraced her. Rose relaxed in his arms, burying her face into his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"No," she said. "But thanks for coming. Can we go for a walk?"

"Whatever you want," Albus said.

A walk ended up being around the corner and to the park where they used to play as children, before their young magic grew too out of control and their parents made them play at less obvious locations to stop attention from growing. Rose found an ancient tree, the first she had climbed when her older cousin, James, had dared her to. She had fallen and broken her wrist and bruised her chin but now, with long limbs and eleven years of practice under her belt, she pulled herself up easily. Albus followed, pulling himself up with much more grace.

He had the smooth, slick movements of the well-trained Seeker that he was, having been named the best at Hogwarts for the last fifty years during their graduation ceremony. He had been scouted by several different teams and was in the process of picking which one he wanted to play for.

"So, what did he say?" Al asked.

"Nothing unreasonable. That he's eighteen and we're not even in a relationship and he's starting an internship in less than a month," Rose said. "I don't know why I even told him."

"Because in a few months, it's going to be pretty obvious that you're pregnant and he's going to know that it's his," Albus pointed out. "Look, Scor is a twat. He's my mate, but he's still a twat. That much is obvious. But he likes you. He thinks you're great. I wouldn't discount him entirely."

Rose looked at the ground below, remembering the fall she took when she was six. Back then it seemed like she was falling for a lifetime before she hit the ground. Now, she could jump from the branch without a second thought. "I like him a lot, Al. You know that. And I can't stop myself from liking him. And I guess he's always going to be a part of my life now, but I don't want it to be like this." She snapped a twig from the branch they were sitting on. "I'm being stupid. It's his choice. It's _my _choice to have the baby. It was my choice to spend the night with him. I can't exactly justify my complaints."

The first raindrops began to splatter down onto the dry earth below, the rain bringing with it a break in the constant heat that had gripped them for the past two weeks. As a drop landed on her nose, Rose leapt from her spot in the tree, sticking the landing. Albus followed suit, landing smoothly.

"Rose, Scor might just surprise you," he said as they slowly made their way back to her house.

"We'll see."

They finished the walk in silence, Albus accepting Hermione's offer of dinner, where Ron stole his attention in a discussion about which team he was looking to accept an offer from. Rose ignored her mother's glances throughout the whole meal, eating two and a half serves of the pasta that was on offer. By eight o'clock, Albus had to go home, extending an offer to Rose before he left.

"I'll talk to him," he said as he hugged her. "If you want me to, that is."

"Don't," Rose said. "That's just embarrassing."

He departed shortly after that, following another quick Quidditch discussion with Ron. Before she could make an escape, Hermione used the dishes as a way of cornering Rose.

She dried the dishes carefully, her mother washing them slowly beside her. Neither of them spoke, Rose not wanting to rehash her conversation with Scorpius and Hermione not wanting to pry, but the silent implications were clear. When the last dish was put away and the bench had been wiped down, Hermione embraced her daughter tightly. Rose inhaled her mother's perfume, letting herself go limp in her mother's arms. She could feel another wave of tears coming on when her father appeared in the doorway, clearing his throat to announce his arrival.

"Petal," he said, face pinched, "you should come here."

Squirming from her mother's grasp, Rose followed her father into the front room. By the door, dripping onto the tiled floor, was Scorpius.

"I couldn't remember which house was yours so I was walking around for a while," the blonde said, sweeping his wet hair from his face with his hand. "Can we talk?"

"In the study," Rose said, leading the way. She knew that the less she looked at him, the stronger her resolve would be, and kept her chin up on the short walk. She opted for standing, Scorpius mirroring her position. "Why are you here?"

He didn't say anything at first, but stepped forward and kissed her softly, cupping her face in his hands. "I was an arse," he said. "I don't know how much good I'll be, but I want to be here for you. I like you. I _really_ like you, and I have for a long time. You're important to me, and this baby is important to me, and I owe it to you to stick around."

"Scor, you know that if you say yes to this, you're in it for the long haul. I can't have you saying yes now and then backing out in a couple of months when things start to get hard."

He kissed her again. "Rose, I'll stay. What I said last night were the foolish words of a man caught off guard. But I went home and I thought about it and after the last seven years of this, it's time we gave us a shot. The baby is just a catalyst. But you know how I feel about you and I know how you feel about me and we can make this work."

This time, she was the one who leant in, pressing her lips to his. "Thank you," she said, feeling their bodies fit together perfectly.

* * *

**A/N: Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I just want to extend an enormous thank you to all of my readers. The feedback and support I've received for this story have been absolutely overwhelming and I'm so thankful for you guys!**

* * *

_**August 15**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**Weasley House, West Surrey**_

_**10:30PM**_

Hermione was propped up in her bed, staring absently at a book in front of her. Though her eyes scanned the words and she flipped the pages regularly, there was no intake of information. As he came out of their ensuite, Ron noticed the familiar knitting between her brows and he frowned whilst climbing into bed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, having long since learned it was better to let his wife relieve her concerns early rather than let them build up.

"I'm just wondering if this is our fault," Hermione sighed, shutting her book and letting it rest on the bedside table. "I mean, she's seventeen and _pregnant_. Surely we could have said or done something to prevent this at some point. I know she doesn't like to talk about it but this is going to have a serious effect on her future and she needs to come to terms with that."

"It's early days," Ron said. "All we can do at this point is just hope she doesn't mess up in any worse ways than this. She's a smart girl, our Rosie, but she's always had a strong heart. It can blind her sometimes even though I'd prefer she wasn't blinded by a _Malfoy_."

"But _pregnant_," Hermione stressed again. "It'd be one thing if she had run off and married him. They're young and foolish and divorce is becoming more accepted in the wizarding world, but a baby is so much more. This isn't just a strong heart. This is a lifelong thing and I'm not sure she's realised that."

Ron nodded along, agreeing with everything his wife said but having little to offer in contribution. He was still trying to process the shock of knowing that his Rosie Posie, his little girl, was going to be having a child of her own in seven short months. He and Hermione were going to be grandparents and the thought made him feel slightly nauseous. After having lost some of the best years of his life running around with Harry and Hermione, then dealing with the aftermath of The War and the losses they had all faced, he had wanted nothing but a carefree upbringing for Rose and Hugo.

Up until Rose's shock announcement, Ron was certain that he and Hermione had succeeded in ensuring their children had nothing to worry about. They had gone to the best muggle schools up until their offers for Hogwarts were sent out, lived in a large house that Ron could only have dreamed of when he was growing up, had a happy and stable home life with a large, loving extended family, and had every opportunity possible at their fingertips. Within reason, his children had wanted for nothing, and until recently, it had led them to fulfilled, healthy lives.

"But I suppose you're right," Hermione said, pulling Ron out of his introspection. "Rose has made her decision and there's nothing we can say or do to change her mind. It's her choice. And at least Scorpius is stepping up."

Ron snorted. "For now," he said. "He's a Malfoy. If he's anything like his ferrety excuse for a father, he won't be sticking around for very long."

Again, his wife sighed. "I hope you're wrong, Ron," she said, turning to fluff her pillows before lying down. "Even with a heart as strong as hers, I don't know if Rosie could handle that."

_**August 17**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**Weasley House, West Surrey**_

_**8:00AM**_

Rose hummed to herself as she fixed breakfast, spooning yogurt into a bowl and adding few slices of fresh apple. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and her face was still flushed from her morning run, a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and she sipped at a bottle of water as she prepared the food. After adding a small amount of honey to the mix, she crossed the kitchen to go for the fresh coffee she had just brewed, a morning routine she luxuriated in when not at Hogwarts.

"What are you doing?" came her mother's voice from the other side of the room.

"What?" Rose asked as she poured a cup, inhaling deeply. "Did you want some?"

Hermione shook her head. "You shouldn't drink coffee when you're pregnant, Rosie, especially not coffee as strong as you take it. It isn't good for the baby. And you'll need to think about alternatives to running as your pregnancy progresses." Hermione took the cup from her daughter's hands and poured its contents down the sink, ignoring Rose's protests.

"What am I supposed to do?" Rose asked, taking a seat at the breakfast bar. "I always drink coffee and I can't just stop exercising."

"You have to adjust," Hermione said, returning the coffee pot and boiling the kettle instead, placing decaffeinated teabags into two mugs. "That's a huge part of what having kids is about. I was working thirteen hours a day before I got pregnant with you. Then my morning sickness was so awful I had to take a month off work because I wanted an all natural pregnancy, and by the time the nausea passed, I had to cut back my hours because of fatigue. And, of course, after your baby is born there'll be sleepless nights and a lifetime of motherhood."

The kettle boiled and Hermione finished preparing the tea as Rose picked at her breakfast, her appetite having dissipated with her mother's almost-lecture. "What are you up to today?" Hermione asked, returning the kettle to the stove and handing Rose her tea. "Have you contacted the school?"

"Yeah," Rose said. "It's always possible to do your course by correspondence so I didn't have to tell them why I was dropping out of my on-campus accommodation. I think Scorpius and I'll do something today. Maybe go and play a game of Quidditch or something." She took a sip of her tea, pushing her uneaten breakfast away.

"You need to eat, Rose," Hermione chided, pushing the bowl back to her daughter.

"I'm not hungry," came the response as the redhead stood, picking up her bowl and emptying the contents into the bin. She poured the rest of her tea down the sink and left the crockery in the sink, feeling her mother's stare on her back. "I'm going to have a shower. I'll eat something later."

Hermione didn't have time to respond before Rose was up the stairs, taking them two at her time. She shook her head and finished her own tea before putting some bread in the toaster, tapping her fingers on the counter as she waited for her breakfast to cook. Before the bread popped up, however, there was a knock at the front door and she frowned, thinking it too early for the family to be expecting normal visitors.

Instinct kicked in and Hermione held her wand cautiously as she unlocked the front door, ready to stun if the visitor turned out to be a hostile one. Upon opening the door, she almost wished she had let the _Stupefy_ roll off her tongue.

"Scorpius," she said, grip on the wand slackening. Her daughter's boyfriend was standing there, hands in his pockets, looking somewhat nervous.

"Oh, Mrs Weasley," Scorpius said, holding his hand out. Hermione took it and shook it, the whole situation seeming utterly bizarre. "Is Rose in?"

"I don't know where else she'd be at half past eight on a Tuesday morning," Hermione said, stepping aside and gesturing for him to come in. To his credit, Scorpius wiped his feet on the exterior doormat before entering, a tense smile on his face. She couldn't help but be struck by how similar he looked to his father and she fought back a shudder. "Would you like something to eat or drink? The kitchen is just through here."

"You, er, have a lovely home, Mrs Weasley," he said as he followed her, taking a seat at the stool Rose had just vacated. "It's very…homely."

Hermione thought of Malfoy Manor and wondered if it had undergone any recent renovations to make it seem less like a prison. "Thank you, Scorpius," she said, pulling her toast out and buttering it quickly. "Tea? Coffee?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

The ensuing silence was thick and heavy, Hermione's chewing and swallowing the only noise. She felt quite self-conscious of the sound and endeavoured to continue eating with much less volume, staring at Scorpius as he looked anxiously around the room. He looked as though he was ready to jump up and make a run for it on a few occasions before finally clearing his throat.

"I understand that you might not like me very much, but I have the best intentions with Rose," he said.

Hermione raised her eyebrows, and any positive feelings she felt towards Scorpius evaporated.

"Best intentions?" she asked. "You got my seventeen year old daughter pregnant. You then proceeded to tell her that you wanted nothing more to do with her and the baby only to turn your opinion around so quickly that I'm surprised you didn't receive whiplash. You come from a family of known Dark wizards whom my family have a terrible history with. They were on the wrong side of the War, found pleasure in pursuing people like my parents and I, and following my kidnapping, they tortured me. I haven't a clue why my daughter is so irrationally smitten with you and it's going to take an awful lot of gallant gestures before I'm even the slightest bit taken with you."

Scorpius stared at her for a few moments and Hermione was again unnerved by his similarities to Draco. Whilst his face was less pointed than his father's and he possessed his mother's fuller lips, Scoripus still had the same high features and identical colouring to her old schoolmate. But, despite the similarities, the younger Malfoy carried himself with less arrogance than his father did, with a slightly slumped posture and messy hair that Draco would never have left the house with. Still, there were too many similarities for her to be entirely comfortable having him sit at her breakfast bar.

"Will all due respect, Mrs Weasley, I doubt your prejudiced opinion of me will influence Rose's feelings," Scorpius said, lifting his chin. "My initial errors aside, I have nothing but love for your daughter and for our baby, and whilst I understand your animosity towards my family, you haven't bothered to get to know me, so don't presume to believe I am the same as my father. I could go off what he says about you but I'd rather make my own assumptions and gather my own impressions."

Hermione felt herself flush briefly at his chastisement as the embarrassment of what she had just done set in. She didn't offer an apology, too proud to let herself lose to a Malfoy, but her insides were squirming with guilt. She thanked her stars as Rose chose that moment to come down the stairs, cheeks still pink from the shower and dressed in a floaty summer dress.

"Scor," Rose said, smiling at her boyfriend as he stood to greet her. "I thought I heard your voice."

"I was wondering if you wanted to get breakfast," he offered, kissing her on the cheek. Hermione turned her head at the display of affection.

"I am eating for two so I suppose a second breakfast is justifiable," Rose said. "Let me run back and grab my bag so we can get going."

As her daughter's footsteps disappeared up the stairs, Hermione turned to face Scorpius. She cleared her throat to gain his attention. "What I said was uncalled for, but until you prove yourself capable in some capacity of handling this situation, my opinion of you stands," Hermione said. "It's a matter of concern for my daughter as opposed to an animosity towards you."

Rose chose that moment to reappear, bag slung across her body. She reached out and took Scorpius' hand as he held it out to her, smiling and waving at her mother on their way out.

Hermione sighed, shaking her head as the front door slammed.

* * *

**A/N: Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Again, thank you so much for all of the kind reviews!**

* * *

**September**_** 3**__**rd**__**, 2024**_

_**Shell Cottage, Cornwall**_

_**11:30AM**_

Rose turned on her side, shirt lifted slightly and began sucking her stomach in as much as possible, but there was still a small bump that protruded. She flattened her palm against the bulge, feeling the smooth skin and wondering what the foetus inside must look like. She looked up at her reflection in the floor length mirror as her cousin reclined on her bed.

"Well that's it, I suppose," Rose said. "I can't hide this for much longer."

"But that does mean I can start planning your maternity wardrobe," Victoire said, standing from her bed and opening her own wardrobe. All of the clothes held inside were already far too small for Rose, the blonde having such a slender frame. "And it also means we can go shopping, which you know I'm always up for. The autumn lines have just been released and I need an overhaul of all this stuff."

Rose sighed, replacing Victoire on the bed. "This is it. I'm really and truly pregnant."

"I thought you'd have figured that out by now," Victoire said. "You know, what with the morning sickness, positive pregnancy tests, and prenatal Healer appointment. How was that, by the way? Sorry I couldn't make it."

"That's fine," Rose said, waving it away. "Mum and Al came along. It was pretty boring, just a lot of questions and tests. Mum was fully into it, of course, so I let her do most of the talking. It got a bit weird when the Healer was asking me about some things but Al left the room and mum just hasn't mentioned it."

"Isn't it weird that Scorpius didn't go with you?" Victoire asked, pulling out a few items of clothing and looking them over. "Like, why would Al go and not him?"

"I suppose," Rose said, absently resting one hand on her belly. "I don't think it's properly sunk in that this is happening yet. Maybe now that I'm starting to show he'll understand and get more involved. I've got another appointment next week so he should come for that one."

"If you say so," Victoire said.

"Don't you start," Rose said, glaring at her cousin. "It's bad enough that I have to deal with my parents disliking Scorpius, and that's only going to continue when I tell the rest of the family. Al is the only one who actually likes him and I'm not sure I could cope if you weren't on my side."

Victoire turned, facing Rose. "Sorry, Rosie," she said. "I guess I don't know him as well as you and Al do, and all I've heard is what our family has said about his. But if you want me to like him, I'll try, and you know I'll always be on your side."

"Thanks," Rose said, flopping backwards on the bed. "It just makes carrying a small human inside of you that much harder when your parents happen to hate the baby's father."

"When _are_ you going to tell the rest of the family?" Victoire asked, abandoning her aimless quest at the wardrobe in favour of joining Rose on the bed. "Because you know I'll be there for moral support when you do, but I'm also terrified of how they'll all react."

Again, Rose heaved a sigh. "Sunday, when we go to The Burrow for family lunch," she said. "I was thinking of bringing Scorpius but I think that would only make the situation worse. He hardly ever comes over to my house anymore, so I don't think he could stand a full family affair."

"He'd better get used to that if he plans on helping out with your kid," Victoire said. "Honestly, I don't think there's another family on the planet who have as many gatherings as we do."

"At least we'll never have an intensely awkward family reunion somewhere down the line," Rose said. She lifted her arm and checked her watch before sitting up slowly. "I should go. I told Scor that I'd meet him for lunch. He's got the afternoon off work and I figured we could spend some time to ourselves at my place."

"I'll go along in saying that's a good idea as long as he's out of there before your parents get home," Victoire said, standing up.

"Well, I'm already pregnant so I'm not sure how much worse it could get," Rose said, grabbing her bag. "How do I look?"

Victoire stared at her with a look Rose could only describe as despaired. "I cannot wait to buy you new clothes," the blonde said, returning to her closet and pulling out a new shirt for Rose. "Here. This is much cuter than whatever that used to be."

Rose rolled her eyes but took her cousin's advice, stripping out of the hole-ridden shirt advertising The Weird Sisters, one she had owned since she was fifteen and had found her father's old stash of their music. She pulled on the delicate item, with a sheer back and sweatshirt-style front, sighing when she had to admit it looked good.

"You never know who you could run into," Victoire said, taking the abandoned shirt and tossing it on the floor.

"I want that back, you know," Rose said, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Maybe," Victoire said. "Now, off you go. Can't be late for Scorpius."

* * *

Rose had always loved how busy the Ministry of Magic was, having been visiting since she was a little girl and her various caregivers would take her to see her parents during their lunch hour. Everyone was always constantly busy and the pulsing aura of magic was so stimulating to her. She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she collect her visitor's badge and took the elevator down to the Department of Mysteries, where Scorpius was interning in the hopes of being hired as an Unspeakable.

The hallways of the Department of Mysteries were cool, a welcome change from the heat that was still heavy over London. Her footsteps echoed in the empty halls and she clutched the strap of her bag, feeling unnerved by the sound and solitude. She was grateful to see signs of offices, particularly the second open door where she could see a flash of blonde hair. Her smile was wide until she heard two voices, and she paused outside, knocking twice before Scorpius called her in.

Inside, Scorpius was sitting behind his desk whilst another tall, blonde wizard stood in front of him. Both turned to look at her as she entered, sheepish.

"Rose," Scorpius said, visibly tensing. He stood up from his seat and gestured towards her as he continued. "Dad, this is my friend, Rose Weasley."

Rose held her hand out to the wizard she had identified as Draco Malfoy, smiling, but her handshake was ignored as the elder wizard looked her up and down.

"You must be Granger's daughter," he said. "There's no mistaking that hair." Draco turned back to his son as Rose lifted her hand to pat at her curly red mane. "Scorpius, take it into consideration. It would open doors for you."

"I'm sure I can manage to open doors on my own," Scorpius said. Rose tried to hide the frown on her face as her boyfriend and his father separated with a stiff handshake, Draco paying her no attention as he left Scorpius' office. With his father gone, he seemed much more relaxed as he came around to the other side of the desk and kissed her cheek. "You look great."

"What was that about?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "My father wants me to do some last minute campaign work for my godfather's run for office."

Rose lifted her eyebrows. "Your godfather is Blaise Zabini?" she asked.

Scorpius nodded. "I don't think I will," he said. "I'm not really into the whole politics thing. Is it still hot outside?"

"Steaming," she said, and Scorpius rolled up his sleeves as he followed her out of his office, briefcase in one hand and suit jacket clenched in the other. "How can you not care about politics?"

"It's not that I don't care," he said. "It's more that I'd rather not cast my vote based on my father's opinion and family ties. Blaise is a good godfather but I'm not sure I'd like him as Minister. If your uncle was running then he'd have my vote."

Rose laughed. "Uncle Harry? He thought the whole idea was preposterous. No, I think Kingsley is a good fit."

Scorpius snorted, taking her hand and lacing their fingers. "I can't believe you're on a first name basis with the Minister."

"He used to come to my birthday parties when I was a kid," Rose grinned up at her boyfriend.

He rolled his eyes, looking down at her. "Well, aren't you special," he said as they hopped into the elevator. "Come on, princess. I'm starving. And didn't you say something about an empty house?"

* * *

Rose lay with her head on Scorpius' bare chest, listening to his heartbeat as his fingers traced absent patterns on her back. She could feel almost all of the stress in her body evaporate as she tilted her head slightly to press her lips to his skin.

"That was great," Scorpius said, pulling her body closer. "I could definitely get used to doing that more often."

"Soon I'll look like I've swallowed a planet," Rose said. "You won't want to come near me."

With his spare hand, Scorpius tilted Rose's chin up until they were looking each other in the eye. "I think I'll always want to be near you, princess, planet or no planet." He slipped his hand beneath the sheets and pressed his palm against her slightly swollen belly, a shiver going down her spine at the contact.

"Why did you introduce me as your 'friend' to your father?" she asked, looking up at him. "Doesn't he know?"

"Know what?" Scorpius asked, continuing with his tracing along her spine.

"You haven't told him? That we're together?" Rose asked, moving herself away and propping herself up on her elbow. "That I'm pregnant?"

"Not yet," he said. "I haven't gotten around to it."

Rose sat up, ignoring her modesty as the sheet pooled around her waist, her hair long enough to spill over her breasts and offer some level of decency. "It's kind of a big deal to me, Scorpius," she said. "You need to tell them. Not 'getting around to it' doesn't count as a valid excuse."

"I will," he said, sitting up and leaning against the stacked pillows. "But my parents aren't exactly rational when it comes to the Weasley family."

"You think my parents were thrilled when I told them?" Rose asked. "They freaked out. Anyone's parents would. Dad didn't speak to me for days and mum just became totally weird. When are you going to tell them?"

Scorpius ran a hand across his face and through his hair. "I don't know," he said. "Soon, I guess."

Rose shook her head, turning away from him and picking up her underwear and abandoned shirt from the carpet, pulling them on. She stood and piled her hair into a bun on her head, wrapping a hair elastic around the curls. "Soon? When is 'soon'? I'm three months along, Scor. What were you waiting for?"

"I wanted to wait until we were sure. Until _I_ was sure. I didn't want to tell my parents and then find out a couple of weeks later that this wasn't actually going to happen," he said. "Look, Rose, it hasn't sunk in. It doesn't seem real. I need to get a handle on the situation before I can bring my parents into it."

Rose faced him, arms crossed against her chest. "How long do you think it'll take to get a handle on things? You know, we're working within a limited timeframe, and unless you're ready to go along and accept this is happening, it isn't going to work."

"Rose, I'm getting there," he said. "I'll tell my parents. _Soon_."

She stared at him, swallowing heavily as she realised the gravity of the situation. "Fine," she said. "You do that. But until you do, Scor, I can't have this level of uncertainty in my life. I need to know if you're either going to be with me or without me, and until I know for sure that you'll be around, I don't think I should see you."

Scorpius scrambled out from between the sheets, grabbing his pants from the floor and pulling them on. "Wait," he said. "Princess, _wait_."

"What am I waiting for, Scorpius?" Rose asked as he found his shirt and put it back on. "For you to change your mind again? Because I'm done with that. I know you want to be with me and I want to be with you, but I can't deal with whatever we have going on now. When you're ready to tell your parents about us and about this baby, I'll be here. But until then, you should go."

Scorpius stared at her for a few moments but she stood her ground, lowering her eyes only when he walked past and pressed his lips to her cheek. "I'm sorry," he said, and it wasn't until she heard the front door slam that Rose moved, tidying up her bed and stripping out of her clothes, trading them for the warmth of a hot shower.

She scrubbed Scorpius off her skin, hiding his cologne with the smell of lilac soap, watching their time together collect in bubbles and swirl down the drain. It was only when every inch of her had been cleaned and she smelled entirely of flowers that she turned the water off, wrapping a fluffy towel around herself and returning to her bedroom.

Though the sadness sat low in her belly and made her limbs feel heavy, Rose refused to let herself cry. The decision to offer Scorpius an ultimatum had been tough, and certainly not what she had wanted to do, but the rational side of her brain had convinced her that it was the _right_ thing to do. There was no way she could handle having their relationship and her pregnancy kept a secret from his parents, and though they might not have any kind feelings towards the Weasley family, Rose knew that the Malfoy family were incredibly wealthy and always helped out their own, so the support of Draco and Astoria Malfoy would be a huge asset to her baby.

Drying herself thoroughly and dressing in light clothes to keep the afternoon's heat from sticking to her skin, she kept her hair wet and dripping down her spine as she went to the kitchen, opting for her favourite relaxing pastime. Molly Weasley's culinary talents had been passed down to her, and when she wasn't at Hogwarts, there were few things she enjoyed doing as much as cooking. She decided baking was the best option, figuring comfort food was a necessity at a time like this. She set about making scones. There was some of her grandmother's jam in the fridge and nothing that made her feel safer or more at home than the old recipe Molly had handed down to her.

When the smell of buttermilk scones began to waft around the kitchen as they rose in the oven, Rose washing dishes she had used, she was able to let her mind wander to how she was going to break the news of her pregnancy to the rest of her family. She knew their support would be there, but her choice of partner was going to be a less than desirable one, and she hadn't a clue how they would react to Scorpius' involvement, let alone how to tell them that he wasn't a part of her life at the moment.

Before she could get too involved in that thought, the oven timer chimed to let her know the scones were ready. Grateful for the distraction, she withdrew them from the oven with care and placed them on the counter, mouth already watering. She found some whipped cream and sat herself at the breakfast bar, preparing her afternoon tea as she planned out what to make for dinner.

Having decided on quiche, Rose spent the next couple of hours embarking on one of her grandmother's more complex recipes as a means of distracting herself, almost not hearing her parents' arrival home from work.

"It's a bloody sauna out there," Ron said as he and Hermione came into the kitchen. "Hi, Rosie."

"Hi, daddy," Rose said, looking up from the oven she had just opened to check on the dinner. "The food should be ready in about fifteen minutes."

"Smells great," Hermione said, eyeing the salad her daughter had made as she sought out a bottle of white wine and poured two glasses, taking one for herself and passing the other to Ron. "How was your day, love?"

Rose shrugged. "Dad, you were right," she said.

Ron almost choked on his wine. "What?" he asked. "That is something I very rarely hear said by either of the women in the household. What was I right about?"

"Scorpius," she said.

"Did you have a fight?" Hermione asked and Rose could hear the almost-hope in her mother's voice.

"We broke up," Rose said. "I think. He hadn't told his parents about us or about the baby, so I told him that until he does and takes responsibility, I don't want to see him."

"Oh, honey," Hermione said, putting a hand on her daughter's back. "That must have been a hard decision for you to make, but I think it was the right one."

"His family is nothing but trouble, Petal," Ron added. "Some distance will be good."

"It's nothing to do with his family, dad," Rose said. "It's to do with him, and if everything works out, then hopefully he'll tell his parents and we can get back to starting our own family. Properly."

Rose took a deep breath, thinking of a future family with Scorpius, with the tiny baby that was growing inside of her as she turned to the oven to take the quiche out. The idea sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach and her hands shook slightly as she imagined the scene of domesticity she was playing out with Scorpius in her parents' place.

"Now," she said. "Let's eat."

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**A/N: Please let me know what you think in a review! **

_**In the next few chapters:**__**A family reunion, an apology, a trip to Malfoy Manor**_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! This chapter is back to the short length this story was at the beginning. I'm sorry if there are errors and I'm not completely happy with this chapter, but I've been out of sorts and just need to get it out of my mind.**

_**September 5**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole**_

_**12:30PM**_

Rose took a deep breath as she and her parents approached the teetering home of her grandparents, the additional storeys threatening to capsize from the main house at any moment. She was still uncertain as to how she was going to bring up the topic of her pregnancy with her extended family, and the loud sounds of their commotion spilling down the driveway did not help with her nerves. Fiddling with the knot of the sweater tied around her waist, she kept her eyes down whilst going around the house and into the backyard where the lunch was to occur.

She was immediately greeted by her grandmother, enveloped in a smothering hug that kept her feeling safe as Molly Weasley rubbed her back.

"Oh, dear, it's great to see you," Molly said, releasing her to hold her at arm's length. "You're looking far too skinny, Rose. Not to worry, though. I'll get that sorted. But first, I have a surprise for you." Rose raised her eyebrows as her grandmother guided her to a group of her relatives. She spied Albus, Victoire, and Teddy, as well as a face she hadn't seen in a long while. "Here we are, dear."

"Fred?" Rose asked, feeling her face break into a wide smile as one of her rarely seen cousins came into view. Last she had heard, Fred had been working with dragons in Norway, taking after his uncle Charlie. He had always been one of Rose's favourite cousins despite being older than everyone except Victoire, and had a way of making her feel completely at ease. When he looked at her, she saw the familiar twinkle in his blue eyes to let her know he was as playful as ever.

"In the flesh, Rosie," Fred grinned, holding her tightly against his chest. When he released her, she could see a dragon tattoo curling its way up his arm, mingling with three thick scars that resembled claw marks. Noticing her line of vision, he flexed and the scars shifted slightly. "Like them?"

"Not bad," Rose said. "When did you get back?"

"Last night. It's been a pretty busy few days but mum wouldn't let me skip out on this," Fred said, stifling a yawn as if to prove his point. Rose thought of the photographs of his namesake that existed in their photo albums at home, showing George with his identical partner in crime, and noticed just how similar her cousin looked to her late uncle. Though Fred II's hair was darker and his skin less freckled, their eyes flashed with the same mischief. "How's freedom treating you?"

"My university course starts tomorrow so it's been quite short lived," Rose shrugged. "Are you back for good?"

Fred rolled his eyes. "Couldn't stand it if I was. I'm just waiting to figure out where I want to go next. It's either New Zealand or Sweden."

"New Zealand?" Victoire chimed in, tilting her head. "What's in New Zealand?"

"The Antipodean Opaleye," Fred said. "You'd like them, Vic. They're considered to be the most beautiful dragon."

"I think you mean she'd like their hide," Teddy said. "It'd make a mean handbag."

Fred shook his head, slinging his arm around Rose's shoulders and turning the conversation back to her. "So, any men on the horizon on their way to sweep you off your feet?" he asked. To their credit, everyone tensed up at the question and Rose was saved from answering thanks to Molly announcing that lunch was ready.

Rose was one of the first at the table, sitting between Victoire and Albus. He grabbed her hand beneath the table, squeezing tightly as an act of comfort, but it did nothing to calm her raging heartbeat. She knew her face had paled and was unsurprised when Molly asked if she was alright, answering with a quiet affirmative and going about picking at her food. Although she had skipped breakfast, Rose's stomach was too full of butterflies for her to keep any large amount of food down so she settled for a few mouthfuls of food, ignoring the worried looks her grandmother kept passing her way. She knew there was only one person who could calm her down and lift her spirits, though she refused to even let his name cross her mind.

Towards the end of the meal, when the butterbeer and wine was flowing freely, and everyone was full to the brim with Molly's impeccable cooking, Rose thought she might finally have the courage to announce her pregnancy to her extended family. With one last look at Albus who offered an encouraging nod and tiny smile, she tapped the side of her glass with a teaspoon to gain the attention of everyone at the table. All of her aunts and uncles and cousins who were no longer at school turned to look, silence blanketing over them all.

"Hi, everyone," Rose said, trying to fight off the awkwardness and shame she felt creeping in. "I have an announcement to make and I'm not sure that there's a particularly tactful way to phrase it, so I suppose all I can do is come out and say it. I'm pregnant. Three months along, at this point."

The silence that followed was thick enough that Rose was sure it couldn't even be penetrated by the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Again, Albus took her hand beneath the table, but this time, Victoire mirrored the action.

"I only have one question," Fred said, looking up at her with a serious face. "If it's a girl, will you still name her after me?"

And like that, the tension was fragmented, beginning to fall away as Rose answered question after question from her extended family. She was tested on her diet, exercise routine, and all aspects of her prenatal care before Bill finally asked the question she had been dreading.

"But who's the father?"

Everyone at the table was silenced by his query and all eyes were immediately on Rose as she shifted in her seat, wishing that Albus or Victoire would step up and save her. But both knew it wasn't truly their place to intervene, and Rose supposed she should be thankful for their silence.

"Scorpius," she said after a long moment had passed. "Scorpius Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" George asked, eyes narrowed. He turned his attention towards Ron and Hermione. "And you're okay with this? After everything?"

"We're not exactly thrilled," Hermione said. "But it's Rose's choice, and he isn't in the picture right now."

"Albus, you never told us it was Malfoy's baby," Ginny said to her son. He turned red at Rose's side but didn't say a word, choosing to take a long sip from his water glass instead. "Malfoy?"

"_Scorpius_," Rose stressed. "He's nothing like his father."

"But Hermione just said he wasn't around?" Ginny said. "That sort of behaviour makes him sound a lot like his father."

"None of you had a word to say against the pregnancy," Rose said, feeling her eyes prickle with tears. "More than that, you just seemed excited by the fact. Never mind that I'm seventeen and pregnant and potentially throwing away the rest of my life to have this baby. All you care about is your old prejudices, which don't hold true against Scorpius, and perpetuating your decades old vendettas against his family. None of you seem to actually offer _me_ any concern."

Unable to keep the tears from falling, Rose tossed her napkin onto the plate of uneaten food in front of her and removed herself from the table, hurrying into The Burrow with her head down. Her family were silent behind her though she heard the first murmurs of conversation reigniting as the door slammed behind her.

She took the stairs two at a time, spiralling up until she was at her father's old room, still plastered with the same number of shocking orange posters supporting the Chudley Cannons. Rose glanced out the window outside the disused bedroom and saw her family at the table, having what appeared to be the argument. She shook her head and went into the bedroom, ducking her head to avoid hitting it on the sloped ceiling.

Rose sat down on the old bed, cringing at the squeak of the springs. She began to fiddle with the frayed orange bedspread, ignoring the tears that continued to fall. She had known telling her family wasn't going to be smooth, but their reactions were still so upsetting. Despite their anger, Rose was certain that, as a member of the Weasley family, she was bound to get all of their support in the end.

The floorboards outside the room creaked and Rose looked up to see Fred at the door.

"Blimey, how low does this ceiling want to be?" he asked, stooping as he entered and sat on the bed, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure dad lost a few brain cells from hitting his head when he got up every morning," Rose said, offering a watery laugh to her cousin.

"That explains a lot," Fred said, grinning. His eyes twinkled at her. "Look, Rosie, you know they'll come around. We're Weasleys. We always stick together, even if it's rubbish in the beginning. Remember when I told everyone I was following in Charlie's footsteps?"

Rose nodded, thinking back to when Fred had announced he was moving to Norway fresh out of Hogwarts. Whilst half the family had been proud of him, the other half were heartbroken that he was leaving the country, knowing how rarely Charlie made the return trip to England. There had been a distinct feeling amongst them that the older generation of Weasleys were losing Fred all over again.

"And now look," he continued. "They're just happy to see me happy. And as long as you don't miss too many Christmases and family birthdays, they'll get to feel the same about you. Granted, Scorpius might have a bit of ass kissing to get through before they'll want him at Christmases and family birthdays."

"So you're on my side?" Rose asked, turning to look at Fred.

"Rosie, we're all on your side," he said. "It just might take some of us a little longer to realise that."


	7. Chapter 7

_**September 9**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**Department of Mysteries, The Ministry of Magic**_

_**3:00PM**_

Scorpius swallowed a heavy groan as his supervisor unceremoniously dumped a pile of files onto his desk, pages spilling out onto the floor. After a quick glance around Scorpius' cramped office space, his boss departed in a flurry of grey robes, leaving Scorpius to stoop to the floor and collect the lost papers. After gathering them all up, he returned to his seat and began sorting them into the appropriate files, abandoning the task halfway through to put his head in his hands, rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his palm.

The past week had been quite nightmarish, with his parents prying into his life to a degree they never had in the past. After moping at dinner on Friday night, after Rose had kicked him out, his mother had persistently pestered him about his troubles. When he refused to answer and locked himself in his bedroom, she spent the next few days suggesting eligible witches he could meet up with to take his mind off of things, an offer which made him feel slightly queasy.

He heard distinctly female footsteps enter his office and took another moment to collect himself before looking up. His eyes widened when he realised who his visitor was and he stood up sharply, buttoning up his suit jacket as he did so.

"Mrs Weasley," he said, offering his hand to Hermione. She took it and shook it promptly. "Please, take a seat."

She acquiesced, sitting down as he returned to his seat. "Scorpius, you might just be one of the best dressed wizards in the whole building," she said, assessing the clean lines of his suit. He felt himself colour slightly under the collar of his crisp white shirt. "I've come to talk to you about my daughter."

He felt a cool trickle of dread float down his spine as he tensed up. "Rose?" he asked, leaning forward. "Is she alright? Is it the baby?"

Hermione placated him with the finest trace of a smile. "They're both fine," she said. "Well, that is if you discount Rose's frustratingly despondent state. You would think Ron and I killed her puppy by the way she looks at us, and Merlin forbid we mention anything that could relate to you in any obscure manner."

"_She_ broke up with _me_," Scorpius said.

"I know that, but I feel as though my daughter would prefer to think about it as the two of you taking a break until you come to your senses," Hermione said.

Scorpius sighed, again putting his head in his hands momentarily. He had recently discovered the action to be almost entirely useless, though the darkness he provided him was momentary relief from the frustrations bombarding him at all angles. "You do understand that my parents are in no way rational when it comes to your family, right?" Scorpius said. "They could deal with me having a child this young if it was with almost anyone apart from your daughter."

"Trust me," Hermione said. "I'm well aware of your father's irrationality, to put it as nicely as you did. But in a few weeks it's going to be astoundingly obvious that my daughter is pregnant, and it's going to get back to your parents that the baby is yours, either through idle gossip or a direct explanation, and I'm almost positive they'd rather hear it from you first."

Again, he heaved a massive sigh. "I know," he said. "Look, I'll tell them soon. Tomorrow night."

Hermione smiled, standing and smoothing invisible wrinkles out of her skirt. "Good," she said. "I was wrong to have said those things to you before at my house. You're not like your father, Scorpius, if Rose's reaction to your departure is anything to go by. You'd have to be a good person to have that much of an impact on my daughter." She made a quick exit and Scorpius waited for her footsteps to fade, but she returned before that happened, poking her head around the door. "As a final thought, you might want to make a grand gesture to get yourself in the good graces of the Weasley family. Rose would certainly appreciate their support right now."

"Thank you, Mrs Weasley," Scorpius said. "Truly."

"You can call me Hermione," she said before disappearing out the door.

Alone in his office, Scorpius' grin spread across his face. He began to sort the files with more vigour, ensuring they were all ordered and alphabetised within the hour. Although the news of Rose's sadness was not particularly happy, the fact that she missed him served to brighten his spirits immensely. The lack of contact all week had driven him to think she was truly better off without him, but if the situation was serious enough that Hermione was visiting him at work, Scorpius knew he still had a chance.

After his boss dismissed him early, having nothing left to assign him since his spirits had so increased his work ethic, Scorpius began planning the 'grand gesture' Hermione had suggested to him. Knowing Rose, he was certain that it shouldn't be anything potentially embarrassing or anything in public, and he began tossing ideas around in his mind as he left work. As he walked through London, looking for the perfect idea amongst the crowds, he passed a jewellery store.

Whilst the accessories inside were far too garish to please Rose's taste, the gleaming diamonds and sparkling jewels gave Scorpius another idea.

_**September 9**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire**_

_**9:00PM**_

Scorpius bade his parents goodnight, kissing his mother on the cheek and gaining a clap on the shoulder from his father as a farewell. His grandmother, the only other resident in the vast home, had already retired for the evening, but Scorpius knew she would still be awake and could only hope that she was in a kind mood.

After knocking twice on her bedroom door, he was beckoned in, Narcissa Malfoy sitting by a crackling fire with a book open in her lap.

"My darling," she said as a smile spread across her face, shutting the book and placing it on the table beside her. She beckoned him closer and he took the seat across from his grandmother. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"When I was younger, you used to wear this necklace that my grandfather gave to you right at the beginning of your relationship," Scorpius said, deciding to cut straight to the chase.

Narcissa smiled again, standing and moving with an easy grace to her dressing table. "I know precisely what you're talking about," she said. "Have you found her, then? The One?"

Scorpius was thankful to the firelight for already distorting his colouring and hiding the pink that shone on his cheeks. "I think so," he said as his grandmother returned to her seat, handing over a small box she had withdrawn from the dresser. He opened it and stared for a moment at the necklace held within. Simple and delicate, there was an understated beauty about the thin chain and single, small diamond pendant. "You said that my grandfather gave it to you a week after you got together."

Narcissa's eyes took on a faraway look and he allowed her to be lost in the memories of her late husband for a while. "Lucius was a charmer, back in those days," she said. "And when he came to me, I told myself I wasn't going to fall for his tricks. He had wooed half the witches I knew by the time he got to me and they had all been devastated when he left. But I suppose something about me made him want to stay. His mother had given him the necklace and told him it was special, that he was to only give it to the one witch he wanted to spend the rest of his life with."

Scorpius closed the box with a quiet snap, distracting Narcissa from her story.

"Of course, things never go according to plan," she said, shaking her head. "But I'm sure things will work out better for you, dear."

Scorpius hesitated, wanting to question his grandmother but not wanting to pry. "Why didn't you give this to my dad?"

"Your parents love each other, Scorpius, but I was never sure it would last," Narcissa said. "Astoria was your father's saving grace after the war ended. She was able to put a good spin on him, being young and beautiful, but I didn't think she was the right love for my son. He seems happy now and I was foolish in assuming otherwise, but Draco has always been too keen to impress people and never driven enough to do what's right by him. Your mother is a wonderful woman, Scorpius, so please don't misunderstand this, but I could never see him giving her this necklace with true sincerity."

"You don't even know who I'm giving it to, though," Scorpius pointed out. "You mightn't approve."

"Darling boy," Narcissa said, shaking her head. "If I've learned anything in my long life, it's that the approval of others should be vehemently ignored. Go after what is good and what is right in your life. You're the only one who gets to decide what that is."

_**September 10**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire**_

_**9:00PM**_

Standing on the back terrace and leaning against the stone railing, Scorpius reached into his breast pocket for a slim silver cigarette case, popping it open and withdrawing one of the cigarettes held within. It was a habit he knew Rose hated and one which he scarcely participated in anymore, but the weekly formal dinner he had with his parents made him tense. Now, the habit had decreased to a one cigarette a week habit. And now, despite still remaining silent about his relationship and his future child, the stress was tight in his shoulders.

The dinner, as usual with his parents and grandmother, had consisted largely of his father pushing him to campaign for Blaise Zabini as Minister and Scorpius' silence throughout the meal. With the election coming up in less than a month, Scorpius was confident he could withstand the pressure being placed on him. When that conversation topic had been exhausted, his mother proceeded to gush about Blaise's son, Isaak, and his relationship with Rose's cousin, Dominique. Scorpius had pressed his lips together tightly at the mention of Dominique, hoping Rose's name would stay out of the conversation.

As he exhaled smoke into the rapidly cooling night, the door opened and the smell of his mother's perfume wafted towards him before she was in sight, her high heels clacking on their approach to him.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter?" Astoria Malfoy asked, putting a hand on her son's arm. "You've been so down for the past week. It's really starting to worry me."

Scorpius reached back into his pocket and withdrew the cigarette case again, opening it and offering them to his mother who accepted, lighting her own with the tip of her wand. "It's nothing," Scorpius said. "I've just got a lot on my plate right now."

"You're eighteen, darling. I understand that your internship is of great importance, but what more could be occupying your thoughts?" Astoria asked. "Does this have something to do with Rose Weasley?"

"What?" Scorpius asked, turning sharply to face his mother.

"Your father and I may be old, Scorpius, but we aren't stupid. He told me how she was in your office last week," Astoria said. She took in another breath of tobacco, exhaling in delicate smoke rings. "Is there something you're not telling us? About her? Look, there's obvious animosity between our families, but if you want to be with Rose Weasley at the moment and she makes you happy, then your father and I will offer our support of your relationship. Granted, your father might need a little bit more convincing than I will, but you're our son and we want you to be happy."

Scorpius nodded, stubbing out the last of his cigarette. "I'm not sure you and dad are on the same page with that one," he said, withdrawing his wand and vanishing the cigarette butt. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

"Scorpius," Astoria said, putting her hand back on her son's arm to stop him from walking away. "Your father may have a distorted way of showing his affection for you, but that doesn't mean his feelings are lessened. We grew up in a very different world and his living arrangements were vastly different to the way we're free to live now. He wasn't afforded the level of affection I give to you."

"I know," Scorpius said. "You guys have told me all the stories." He sighed and then paused to think of how often he had been doing that lately. "Look, can you get dad and meet me in the parlour? I'll come inside in a minute."

Astoria vanished the end of her cigarette and smiled at her son. "Of course, sweetheart," she said, reaching up and cupping her son's face with one hand. She dropped her hand and placed it on his chest instead, upon the lapel of his jacket, smoothing it down. "That suit looks wonderful on you. You're such a good-looking boy, Scorpius. She's one lucky girl."

**A/N: Narcissa has always been one of my favourite characters and I've always seen her as someone who would go above and beyond for her family, someone who loves her family beyond anything else. **

**Let me know what you think in a review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I'm so sorry about the wait! I'm actually on holidays at the moment, but that means I'm doing a million things during the day and by the time I get back to my computer, I'm too exhausted to write anything. I've really appreciated all the reviews I've received so, please, keep them coming!**

**Unfortunately, there might be a bit of a wait until the next chapter. The Christmas period is always such a busy one!**

* * *

_**September 11**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**Weasley House, West Surrey**_

_**8:00AM**_

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"Believe me, Weasley, I'm less than pleased to be here!"

Rose sat up, still hazy from sleep, as booming voices echoed up the stairwell and into her room. She rubbed at her eyes as she tried to place the voices. The first had clearly been her father but it took a few moments before she could recognise the second as belonging to Draco Malfoy. It took another moment before she connected the dots, at which point she rolled straight out of bed and searched for some thread of decent clothing. Having been in a state of mourning over her relationship for the past week, there were few clean clothes that would be appropriate and it was with a frustrated groan she just pulled a sweater on over the top of her pyjama shirt and raced downstairs, two steps at a time.

Well aware that her hair resembled a bird's nest atop her head, she continued into the front room where Ron and Draco were standing. Her father had his arms folded tightly across his chest whilst one of Draco's hands was gripped tightly to the head of a cane, the handle intricately carved to resemble Slytherin's emblem. Both men turned to look at her when she arrived, trying to pat down her hair into something that would make her at least mildly presentable.

"Rosie, go back upstairs," Ron said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Mr Malfoy," she said, stepping forward and ignoring her father. "Scorpius told you?"

"Is it true?" he asked. "How long?"

"I'm thirteen weeks," Rose said.

Draco turned to face Ron, nostrils flaring. "And you're alright with this, Weasley?" The Slytherin paused to scoff loudly. "Of course you are. You come from a family who breed like rabbits."

"Oi, watch it, ferret," Ron said, turning as red as his hair.

"What's going on here?" Hermione asked, arriving with a cup of coffee in hand. She stopped when she saw Draco, taking half a second to collect herself. "Malfoy. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Your _daughter_," Draco said, narrowing his eyes at an unflinching Rose. "And her _baby_." It took a lot of effort for the word to roll of his tongue and came out burning. "And your apparent total mismanagement of the issue. Surprising, coming from you, Granger."

"It's actually Weasley, as you full know," Hermione said. "But I suppose you can't teach an old ferret new tricks. And as far as mismanagement goes, I'm not sure what you mean."

"You let your daughter run around getting pregnant at seventeen, _Granger_," Draco scowled. The personal assault against Rose was barely registered by her. Instead, she was itching to run back upstairs and shower, tame her hair, and change into some more appropriate clothes before racing off to meet Scorpius.

"Surely even you know that it takes two people to make a baby," Hermione said, leading Draco to flush slightly around his neck. Rose was instantly reminded of how Scorpius would react to a similar slight, with flairing of his nostrils and the mild pinking of his cheeks.

Draco's hand gripped tightly to the cane. "Are you keeping it?" he asked, turning his attentions back to Rose as she stood between her parents.

"Yes," she said, lifting her chin. She placed a hand on her stomach. "And Scorpius wants to be here for me and the baby as well, regardless of your interest."

"Are you sure there's any Weasley in her, Granger?" Draco asked Hermione. "But it must be nice having a clone around."

"Watch yourself, ferret," Ron said. "She might break your nose again."

At her father's use of the insult, Rose was struck by just how childish the whole interaction was. Everyone was standing, fingers flinching towards their wands, hurling insult after insult at each other with no actual conversation being had. It was as though her parents had regressed to their Hogwarts days, the arrival of their schoolyard enemy in their home eradicating any trace of adulthood rationality.

"Are you all done?" Rose interjected, all of them now turning to face her with stunned silence. "As much as I respect your opinions on the situation at hand, what's happening is between Scorpius and I. Mr Malfoy, whilst I am ambivalent on the subject and doubt _I_ will be able to change your mind, I know that your support would mean a lot to your son. However, if your involvement is going to boil down to insulting my parent's childrearing skills or criticising my life choices, then I am sure we would both prefer you kept your distance. But I would like to remind you that this is your grandchild. Regardless of me and my parentage, you have to remember that this is your first grandchild, and I'm sure he or she would like you to be in their life."

All of the supposed adults in the room stared at her for a few seconds in silence before Hermione wrapped her arm around Rose's shoulder, giving her a quick squeeze. Draco's fingers flexed and relaxed on the head of his cane.

"Right," he said. "Right, well, if that's the case, Weasley, then I suppose I have no choice. Granger, Weasley, I wish I could say it's been a pleasure."

"See you at work, Malfoy," Hermione said, but he was already halfway down the path, an oddity in the otherwise muggle street. She shut the door and turned to face Rose who felt as though she was about to jump out of her skin with happiness. "So, I suppose you're going to see Scorpius, then?"

The thought had occurred to Rose that she should go and see her boyfriend immediately, but she had already made prior plans to spend a portion of the day with Fred. He was due to leave on Monday, having decided on New Zealand as his destination of choice, and Rose was determined to as spend as much time with her cousin as possible.

"I'm already seeing Fred," she reminded her parents. "Besides, I've got the next eighteen years or so to hang out with Scorpius. I'll have dinner with him tonight."

She turned to run up the stairs and get ready but was halted by a hand on her shoulder. When she turned back, Hermione was frowning at her. "I'd prefer you to spend the day with Fred were it any other day, but telling Draco the truth was a bold thing for Scorpius to do. You should at least go and see him before you spend the day with Fred," Hermione said. "And have dinner with him tonight, too. He deserves it."

"Really?" Rose asked.

"As much as I hate to admit it, your mother is right," Ron said. "Go see Malfoy. And invite him over here for dinner if you want. He can stay the night. Your mother and I can find somewhere else to amuse ourselves for the night."

"Ron-," Hermione tried to interject.

"She's already pregnant, Hermione," he reminded his wife. "I'm not sure what other trouble they could get up to in an empty house."

Rose blushed but hugged her father tightly all the same, following with her mother, before running up the stairs two at a time to strip off and have a quick shower. She tamed her hair and got dressed for the day, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Staring at herself in the mirror, she appraised her reflection and nodded once in satisfaction at the spiralling halo of uncontrollable orange curls, knitted sweater gifted to her by her cousin, and ripped jeans. It was all she could hope for and all she could ever be bothered with.

Returning downstairs, her parents were waiting for her in the kitchen. Her mother was looking anxious, hand wrapped around a cup of tea, whilst her father was in a wrestling match with the muggle toaster. She grabbed an apple from the counter and took a bite out of it, waving to her parents as she stepped towards the fireplace and reached for the Floo powder on the mantelpiece.

"Are you sure he'll be home, sweetheart?" Hermione asked.

"It's Scorpius," Rose said. "He's never up before midday on a weekend."

"Be safe, Rosie," Hermione said.

Any other well wishes were swallowed up by the rush of green flames that appeared around Rose as she was transported to Scorpius' bedroom in Malfoy Manor, the pair having previously agreed to open their Floo channels up for one another. She smiled as she stepped out of the fireplace and into her boyfriend's darkened bedroom, his quiet snores inviting her in. Rose dropped her bag on an armchair as she crossed the room to the four-poster bed.

She stood at the foot of the bed, staring at him for a few moments. Like most, he appeared transported back to a carefree stage when he slept. His mouth slightly open, hair askew, and not a trace of tension anywhere. Toeing her shoes off, she climbed onto the bed, crawling across until she was beside him. He shifted, turning to face her in his sleep, reaching out towards the dip in the mattress where she lay. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open and the shock that first painted his face was quickly replaced by a smile.

"Hi," he said.

"Your father came to see me this morning," Rose said, resting her head on the pillow as Scorpius reached out and brushed his fingers along her cheek. "He isn't happy."

"Did you expect him to be?"

"No," she said. "But you told him."

"And mum," Scorpius said. "And my grandmother."

Rose leaned forward, kissing him gently. "Thank you," she said. She took the hand that was currently tracing her cheek and moved it down to press against her stomach. "Really."

"I should've done it sooner," he said. "Your mum pushed me to it."

Rose laughed before realising he was serious. "Mum? Are you serious?"

"Yep," Scorpius said, shifting himself so Rose was forced to lie on her back as he hovered over her. "Now, I didn't envision our reunion involving discussions of your mother. Did you?"

"Not really," Rose said, smiling as her boyfriend lowered his lips to hers.

_**September 11**__**th**__**, 2024**_

_**Weasley House, West Surrey**_

_**5:00PM**_

Rose's stomach was a ball of butterflies and she knew it was nothing to do with morning sickness. She was standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom, having pinned and unpinned the same part of her hair four times. She had no clue as to why she was feeling so anxious, knowing that Scorpius wouldn't care or even notice if she did her hair differently, but she couldn't stop fidgeting.

Finally giving up and piling her hair into a bun on top of her head, she left her bedroom, poking her head into her parents' room to see if they were in there and following their voices down the stairs.

"Now, we'll be at Harry and Ginny's if you need anything," Hermione said, looking into her purse to check she was fully prepared. Ron was gripping a bottle of Firewhiskey by the neck and had his hand on his wife's lower back, pushing her towards the fireplace.

"She'll be fine," he said. "Won't you, Rosie-Posie?"

"Of course," she said, trying to quell the nerves. "I'll Floo call if there's anything wrong. Scor and I will be okay."

Hermione face was wrangled into a perfect cut of concern and Ron shook his head as he nudged his wife into the fireplace, keeping his hand on her back as they disappeared into the green flames. With their departure she was left without distraction and began fussing in anticipation of her boyfriend's arrival. She set the dining table with three different coloured placemats before giving up, moving everything over to the breakfast bar just as the fireplace was illuminated with green flames.

She smiled, turning around to face Scorpius as he arrived, carrying two boxes with a grin on his face.

"Hi," Rose said, her nerves seemingly vanished with his arrival and the Gryffindor courage she held dear taking their place.

"Hi," Scorpius said. "I come with gifts." He placed the boxes on the dining table and crossed the room to greet her with a small kiss. Simultaneously, he pressed his hand against the swelling of her belly, the bump visible through her tight shirt. "But first, flowers." With a flourish of his wand, an assortment of mismatched wildflowers blossomed from the tip in a haphazardly artful bouquet. Rose grinned as he handed them to her, thankful that there were no flowers to match her name.

"I do love flowers," Rose said, accepting them and breathing in their soft scent. "But I also love presents. What's in the box?"

As Scorpius retrieved the boxes, Rose sought out a large jug and filled it with water, carefully arranging the flowers inside it. When she turned around, Scorpius was nudging the larger box towards her, pushing it along the kitchen counter. The smaller of the two parcels was held tightly in his other hand, causing her curiosity to peak as she took the big present.

Wrapped hastily in silver by someone who was by no means a professional, Rose wasted no time in tearing through the paper to reveal a large, clear box. It was filled with small beans she recognised, all the same shade of brown.

"Are these-?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Yep," he said. "Curry flavoured. Picked out of a couple hundred boxes of Bertie's finest beans. Why you like the curry flavoured ones will always be a mystery to me."

Rose thought her face might split from how widely she was grinning. She wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck, fiddling with the hair at the nape of his neck. "I love it," she said, standing on her toes to kiss him on the lips. He responded by pulling her flush against his body and she smiled into the kiss. "We can skip dinner, you know."

Scorpius pulled back, shaking his head but grinning. "Not while you're pregnant, Rosie," he said. "Your mother would never forgive me. What are we having?"

Rose sighed and pulled out of her boyfriend's arms. "Can you cook?" she asked, unsurprised when he shook his head. "Alright. You can watch and learn."

She pulled out a variety of ingredients from the refrigerator, piling them onto the counter. Flicking her wand a few times with the household incantations her grandmother had taught her, knives began slicing the ingredients for a niçoise salad. She searched in the cupboard for some tins of tuna to add to the mix, aware of Scorpius' eyes on her as she prepared.

"How's work?" she asked.

He gave her a pointed look, eyebrows raised. "You know I can't talk about it. Unspeakable in training, remember?"

Rose smiled at her boyfriend. "I'm hoping that one day you'll slip up."

"Really, Weasley?" he asked. "I'm surprised you weren't in Slytherin."

She laughed, setting up a saucepan to boil some eggs. "A tempting choice although I'm certain everyone except Uncle Harry would have disowned me for it."

"Maybe we'd have happened sooner if we'd been in the same house."

Rose paused her dinner preparations and rested a hand on the small bump on her belly. "I suppose. And I also suppose it wouldn't have had to have been a pregnancy that brought us together."

"I think we were always going to end up together, Rosie," Scorpius said, leaning across the breakfast bar to sneak a cherry tomato from the salad preparations. "How's school?"

The change in conversation was a welcome relief for Rose and she continued preparing the dinner, telling her boyfriend all about the heavy course load for her studies in wizarding law, particularly with the added difficulty of needing to translate the work from French. It was a challenge she relished and one she was enjoying, having noticed an increase in her language skills even though it had only been a week.

"I love it, of course, but it's only going to get harder from here," Rose said, putting the final preparations on the salad and serving two plates out.

"I still don't know why you thought you needed to go back to school," Scorpius said. He took a generous mouthful, making an appreciative noise at the meal. "You could get any job you want."

Rose sighed, pushing the food around on her plate. She nibbled at a piece of tuna. "That's not the point, Scor," she said. "I don't want to flaunt my parents' achievements. I want to succeed on my own. I want to prove to people that I can be my own person. My family is huge and they're _all _successful and I want to make a name for myself away from all of their influence."

Scorpius grinned. "Now I see why you weren't in Slytherin."

They kept the rest of their dinner conversation light, moving over to the couch after Rose had stacked the dishes into the sink and charmed them to wash themselves. With music playing quietly in the background, Rose settled herself beside her boyfriend, his arm around her shoulders.

"Where's my other present?" she asked, remembering the smaller box from before.

Waving his wand, Scorpius summoned the square box from the kitchen, not wanting to disrupt their comfortable position. Upon its arrival, Rose tore the paper off eagerly, creasing her brow when she saw the smooth surface of a jewellery box. Having never been one for any kind of accessorising, she wondered what her boyfriend could have bought that he thought she might like.

Inside was a simple necklace, a thin silver chain with a delicate silver pendant in the shape of a snake. There were no elaborate jewels or excessive sparkles, just the elegant serpent in an understated design.

"My grandfather gave it to my grandmother when he knew he wanted to spend his life with her," Scorpius said. "She wore it everyday until she gave it to me yesterday."

Rose blamed her hormones as her eyes filled with tears. Carefully removing the necklace from its box, she shifted to the side to let Scorpius fix it around her neck. She reached up and touched the pendant as it came to rest just beneath her collarbones. "I love it," she said, turning to face him to plant a kiss on his lips.

* * *

Hermione held a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn as the green flames faded away and her living room came into focus. Though her husband had made the deal with Rose that she and Scorpius could have the house for the night, Hermione was still cautious of the plan. She had escaped Ginny and Harry's under the pretence of collecting a forgotten toothbrush. Apprehensive but still curious, she stepped out of the fireplace to the sound of soft snuffles, aware her daughter had never snored in her life.

Frowning, she took quiet footsteps to peer over the back of the couch. Rose and Scorpius were wrapped around each other, her head on his shoulder whilst his head lolled back onto a cushion, both were fast asleep. It was Scorpius who was snoring lightly, though there were smiles on both of their faces, his arm tight around her.

Hermione's heart softened at the sight and she regretted ever doubting his intentions at the look of utter contentment on her daughter's face, one arm across her beau's torso. With a silent spell, she summoned a blanket and draped it lightly over the two lovebirds. After a smile, Hermione backed away and into the fireplace, hoping the rush of green flames wouldn't wake the couple as she vanished.

* * *

**A/N: Please review! And a very happy holidays to all of you! Enjoy **


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